High protein nutritive food and process for preparing same

Abstract

A high protein nutritive food characterized in that the food has a protein content of 40 to 85 wt. % (based on solids) and is prepared from a dough by heating the dough at a reduced pressure until the dough is dried to a water content of not higher than about 3 wt. %. The dough is made from a protein ingredient containing vegetable protein alone or in combination with animal protein, cereal flour or potato powder and water.

We claim: 
     
       1. A high protein nutritive food prepared by a process comprising: (1) Forming and shaping a dough comprising: (a) a protein ingredient comprising: (i) vegetable protein, or   (ii) a mixture of vegetable protein and animal protein,     (b) a cereal flour, a potato powder, or a mixture thereof, and   (c) water, and     (2) heating the dough in a vacuum until the dough is dried to a water content of not higher than about 3 wt. % and a protein content of 40 to 85 wt. % based on solids.   
     
     
       2. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 1 wherein the water content is up to 2 wt. %. 
     
     
       3. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 1 wherein the protein content is 60 to 70 wt. %. 
     
     
       4. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 1 wherein the vegetable protein is soybean protein. 
     
     
       5. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 1 or 2 wherein the protein ingredient is a mixture of vegetable protein and animal protein which comprises 60 to 90 wt. % of the vegetable protein and 40 to 10 wt. % of the animal protein based on the combined amount of protein. 
     
     
       6. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 5 wherein the vegetable protein is soybean protein. 
     
     
       7. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 5 wherein the vegetable protein content is 70 to 80 wt. %, and the animal protein content is 20 to 30 wt. %. 
     
     
       8. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 5 wherein the water content is up to 2 wt. %, the vegetable protein is soybean protein, and the cereal flour is sweet corn powder. 
     
     
       9. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 1 wherein the cereal flour is a corn powder. 
     
     
       10. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 1 wherein the water content is up to 2 wt. vegetable protein is soybean protein, cereal flour is sweet corn powder. 
     
     
       11. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 1 wherein the heating is in a vacuum of up to 40 mm Hg. 
     
     
       12. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 11 wherein the vacuum is about 5 to about 20 mm Hg. 
     
     
       13. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 11 or 12 wherein the heating is at 60° to 220° C. for about 20 to about 60 minutes. 
     
     
       14. A process for preparing a high protein nutritive food prepared by a process comprising: (1) forming and shaping a dough comprising: (a) a protein ingredient comprising: (i) vegetable protein, or   (ii) a mixture of vegetable protein and animal protein,     (b) a cereal flour, a potato powder, or a mixture thereof, and   (c) water, and     (2) heating the dough in a vacuum until the dough is dried to a water content of not higher than about 3 wt. % and a protein content of 40 to 85 wt. % based on solids.   
     
     
       15. A process as defined in claim 14 wherein the heating is in a vacuum of up to 40 mm Hg. 
     
     
       16. A process as defined in claim 15 wherein the vacuum is about 5 to about 20 mm Hg. 
     
     
       17. A process as defined in claim 15 or 16 wherein the heating is at 60° to 220° C. for about 10 to about 60 minutes. 
     
     
       18. A high protein nutritive food which comprises: (a) a protein ingredient comprising: (i) vegetable protein, or   (ii) a mixture of vegetable protein and animal protein,     (b) a cereal flour, a potato powder, or a mixture thereof, and   (c) water;   wherein said food has a water content of not higher than about 3 wt. % and a protein content of 40 to 85 wt. % based on solids.   
     
     
       19. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 18 wherein the water content is up to 2 wt. %. 
     
     
       20. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 18 wherein the protein content is 60 to 70 wt. %. 
     
     
       21. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 18 wherein the vegetable protein is soybean protein. 
     
     
       22. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 18 or 19 wherein the protein ingredient is a mixture of vegetable protein and animal protein which comprises 60 to 90 wt. % of vegetable protein and 40 to 10 wt. % of animal protein based on the combined amount of protein. 
     
     
       23. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 22 wherein the vegetable protein is soybean protein. 
     
     
       24. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 22 wherein the vegetable protein content is 70 to 80 wt. %, and the animal protein content is 20 to 30 wt. %. 
     
     
       25. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 22 wherein the water content is up to 2 wt. %, the vegetable protein is soybean protein, and the cereal flour is sweet corn powder. 
     
     
       26. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 18 wherein the cereal flour is a corn powder. 
     
     
       27. A high protein nutritive food as defined in claim 18 wherein the water content is up to 2 wt. %, the vegetable protein is soybean protein, and the cereal flour is sweet corn powder.